Dolphin Encounters
Encyclopedia
Dolphin Encounters is a natural seawater dolphin facility located on Blue Lagoon Island
, (Salt Cay), Nassau, Bahamas
. The company started as a rescue facility in 1989. The beach scenes in the movie Splash
were taped on Blue Lagoon Island and the facility houses 18 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, (tursiops truncatus) and six California sea lions. Dolphin Encounters is owned and operated by a local family. The facility has received a Cacique Award from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. In 2003, Dolphin Encounters and Project B.E.A.C.H. received the Cacique Award from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
used three Dolphin Encounter owned dolphins in the movie Flipper
. Dolphin Encounters was also involved in the making of several commercials for international companies. S
In 2009, Dolphin Encounters on Blue Lagoon Island became the first member of the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA) to receive accreditation for their animal trainer program.
Blue Lagoon Island
Blue Lagoon Island is a private island located 5 km from Nassau, Bahamas and serves as a local tourist attraction.-History:Prior to the late 19th century the island's lagoon was a salt marsh and was referred to legally as Salt Cay...
, (Salt Cay), Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
. The company started as a rescue facility in 1989. The beach scenes in the movie Splash
Splash (film)
Splash is a 1984 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Ron Howard and written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The original music score was composed by Lee Holdridge...
were taped on Blue Lagoon Island and the facility houses 18 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, (tursiops truncatus) and six California sea lions. Dolphin Encounters is owned and operated by a local family. The facility has received a Cacique Award from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. In 2003, Dolphin Encounters and Project B.E.A.C.H. received the Cacique Award from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
History
Dolphin Encounters began in Nassau, Bahamas when two dolphins from a closed aquarium were rescued and relocated to a large seawater habitat in Abaco, Bahamas. Soon after, six more dolphins were imported into the facility. A few years later, the marine park on Blue Lagoon Island opened. In 1995, after a multi-million dollar expansion, the operation was renamed Dolphin Encounters.Hollywood connection
In 1996, Universal StudiosUniversal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
used three Dolphin Encounter owned dolphins in the movie Flipper
Flipper (1996 film)
Flipper is a 1996 remake of the 1963 film of the same name, starring Paul Hogan and Elijah Wood. The movie is about a boy who has to spend the summer with his uncle Porter , who lives in the Florida Keys...
. Dolphin Encounters was also involved in the making of several commercials for international companies. S
Professional affiliations
- Member of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (I.M.A.T.A)
- Member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (A.M.M.P.A)
Educational programs
The facility offers education and marine conservation programs to local schools and underprivileged children.Interactive programs
The facility offers three interactive programs to the public as well as a Program Observation. Interactive programs include Dolphin Swim, Dolphin Encounter, and Sea Lion Encounter.Non-profit
A non-profit element of the marine park called Project B.E.A.C.H (Bahamas Education Association for Cetacean Health). The facility has participated in the Make-A-Wish Foundation program.Awards
In 2003, Dolphin Encounters and Project B.E.A.C.H were awarded the Cacique Award - the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism's highest honour for excellence in tourism.In 2009, Dolphin Encounters on Blue Lagoon Island became the first member of the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA) to receive accreditation for their animal trainer program.